Page 44 of The Rowan
Valerian immediately eases his weight off me, but I’m unable to breathe. He jerks me toward him and gives me the air from his lungs. Over and over, he breathes air into me and my lungs until I’m able to take a breath, then another.
Placing my hand on his shoulder, I cough and suck in as much air as I can get. I breathe in deeply over and over until I’m breathing normally again. “You weigh a ton.”
His voice is full of Scotland and tartans when he answers. “Lass, I’m a full-grown dragon. What do ya expect?” His accent is thick with concern as his fingers trail over my face, mapping each feature.
“Thank you for being the air I breathe,” I murmur, my eyes falling to his firm lips. After spending the night kissing Astor, all I can think about is kissing, kissing, and more kissing. Add in a half-naked dragon, all muscles and sweetness, and I’m a goner. I reach up to pull him down to me, and he freezes.
“Lass, I really, really want to kiss you, but I can’t,” he groans. “I’ve got something to tell you, and I’ve been trying to figure out a way to say it.”
Anxiety fills me, making my stomach cramp. I sit up, pushing him back so I can see his face. “Tell me,” I demand.
He goes into a long explanation of the reasons the dragons use the chamber—crowning king, presenting your mate, and death. Got it. “It’s a vision. It might not even be real. And I saw you, you’re not dead.”
“It’s blood magic, and while it can deceive, it can’t lie. If we’re in the king’s chamber and I’m alive, then the only other reason is to present my mate to my clan,” he explains.
My mind whirls, trying to remember the details of the vision. The dragons yelling, “Kill the witch”, Valerian arguing with those two men, and the stabbing. “You think I’m your mate?” I whisper. Emotions swirl in my head and heart. Every supernatural wants to find their mate or mates. Happiness fills me, then dread. The timing isn’t ideal. I mean, assassins attacked me just the other day. “Really?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” he replies.
Unfortunately? What the hell?I think, ignoring the fact I was just pondering the same thing.
Tears rise, but I push them down and tuck them away, letting anger replace them. I demand, “Unfortunately? I mean, I know we’re just getting to know each other and I’m not an expert on being someone’s mate, but I don’t think that’s the best way to tell them. It’s supposed to be happy, isn’t it? Does this feel happy to you?”
He grabs my hands. “Will you let me finish?” he roars impatiently. “Of course I want you, lass. But I need to explain something.” He pauses, then blurts out, “My clan won’t accept a witch for a mate.”
I frown, reading the truth in his eyes. “Are you saying you need the permission of your clan?”
He snorts. “That day will never come. Because of what happened in the past, they’ve never forgiven the witches, or me,” he reflects. “I’m not sure what they’ll do. They might try to kill you, or kill me. I’m not sure I can protect you against my entire clan if they’re out for blood. I can abdicate, but what if I can’t protect you because I don’t have the power of a king anymore?”
I listen to what he’s saying and what he’s not, then I laugh. “And I was worried about my assassins killing you. What’s this world coming to when you can’t mate because death threats are on the table? But then again, mating is never easy. I mean, look at Solandis and Vargas. They were the first Fae and demon mating. Their pairing almost started a war.
“Here’s the deal—few are lucky enough to be given a mate. If the fates paired us, I have to believe there’s a way to get past your clan, my assassins, and whatever destiny has in store for us,” I tell him. When he tries to interrupt, I brush my finger across his lips to silence him. “I think the biggest issue is your past. You’re scared the past will repeat itself, and I get it. Your entire life crashed down on you because you loved a witch.” I pull my hand from his mouth and cup his cheek. “I know you say you want me, but do you want a mate? A mate means giving me something bigger than your heart. It’s binding your soul to mine for eternity. Losing Moira hurt you deeply. Take some time and think about it, but for every day you make me wait, I’ll torture you when you finally cave.”
He stands and pulls me up beside him. “Lass, I don’t need time to think about it. I loved Moira, truly, but she passed a long time ago. I’ve been alone for over a thousand years and never thought twice about it. Then you come along and shock the hell out of me. Here’s this beautiful, powerful warrior, fighting her own battles and searching for her destiny. You’re a hell of a wake-up call.” He chuckles, then takes a deep breath. “But I want you to think about it. I can’t guarantee your safety or the acceptance of my clan. If I abdicate, I can’t offer you the position as queen by my side. The only thing I have to offer is myself, and that’s not much.”
I start to protest. “I don’t have to think about it—”
He places a finger on my lips. “Please. Just give it a week or two. I want you to really think about it.”
Frustrated, I blow out a breath. I completely disagree, but I can see the worry on his face. “Fine.”
He wraps his massive arms around me and gives me a hug, and I smile. My mate is a dragon, and not just any dragon, but a dragon of legends. Vargas is going to be so proud.
27
DAIRE
Iwatch Arden weave in and out of the tables below. With her hair flowing behind her, she’s like a warrior out for someone’s blood in her tight black tank top, miniskirt, and boots. Her expression is fierce and brooding as she approaches her tables, then it’s as if a switch is flipped and she’s all smiles, flirting with the males and flashing skin wherever she goes.
Valerian mutters behind me. His whiskey is gripped tightly in his hand while his eyes follow Arden’s every move. I laugh at the misery on his face. Clearly, Arden’s show is for him, and it’s working.
Astor, Fallon, and Theron arrive minutes later, and the crowd goes silent. It’s the first time we’ve stood together in the VIP section in years. I wave my hand, motioning for them to continue doing whatever they were doing.
My back to the railing, I watch the cadre. Theron has got his nose buried deep in his phone, but he occasionally looks up to check on Arden. Astor is rubbing his fingers across his lips and smiling. His dark eyes gleam as he follows Arden, not even noticing the busty brunette that’s been eyeing him for ten minutes. Fallon is scanning the crowd, as if he expects an assassin at any minute, his stance light and ready to intervene. All of this is because of Arden. She’s changing us, taking our loose threads and weaving them tighter together.
Even I’m not immune. She’s brought light back into my life, a life that’s been cold and dark since Danica died. When I healed Arden the other day, it was as if my heart beat again. While my heart can beat, it’s unnecessary, so I suppress it, because it’s a reminder of my humanity and I’d rather embrace my true predatory nature.
I sip my drink and turn to watch the crowd below, just in time, too. Surprise renders me immobile as I watch Solange cross the dance floor. When I broke it off with her yesterday, she swore to never forgive me, and yet she’s here tonight. Sighing, I think about leaving to avoid the drama heading my way.
